Frank Sinatra’s Italian Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

Frank Sinatra’s Italian Tomato Sauce and Meatballs, the perfect Marinara sauce, was one of Sinatra’s culinary passions. Frank published the recipe for his Mother’s Natalie Della Garaventa, aka Dolly Sinatra, tomato sauce in a cookbook and even launched his jar sauce line in the late 1980s. His recipe called for quality ripe red Roma tomatoes, virgin olive oil, not too much onion, and a fair amount of Italian Gold, aka garlic.

Frank Sinatra’s favorite recipe for Italian Tomato Sauce was introduced at Artanis, Sinatra spelled backward. The sauce was added to Southern California supermarkets in the late ’80s.To launch off the sauce, Sinatra’s family and friends gathered at Morton’s, which seldom hosts a private party on a weekday unless your Ole Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra.

As some of you may know, I am an avid collector of vintage recipes and memorabilia. You will find me continually scanning the web for Vintage and Retro Recipe collections to buy or methods that have been posted on other sites.

Frank Sinatra’s favorite recipe for Italian Tomato Sauce was published initially by Mainliner magazine in 1973; the formula is his mother’s Natalie Della Garaventa, aka Dolly Sinatra’s original recipe. I have adapted to the original method because I like more herbs in my sauce;  I have posted a clipping from the WFBL Cookbook of The Stars below for you to view her original recipe.

 

 

Along the way of delving into our favorite ole crooner Frank Sinatra recipes on the net, I happened to wonder if Frank Sinatra happened to have a Meatball recipe I could test out. Low and behold, I happened to find one. Believe it or not, Frank Sinatra seems to have several methods claiming to be his meatballs posted by blogs plastered worldwide when you do a Google Search. Later, I found a copy of the WFBL Cookbook of The Stars on eBay for purchase, and here is a clipping of the recipe below.

 

NOTE: Traditional Italian sauces are made with the freshest, highest quality tomatoes. Herbs and ingredients. If you plan to make this sauce, I would recommend using only high-quality organic tomatoes and the best flavor experience.

 

 

A few tips on Frank Sinatra’s Italian Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

• Use only high-quality tomato products and ingredients when you make the sauce. Quality Organic San Marzano tomatoes from a glass jar or carton are the best; the natural flavor bursts out. The difference is that big regarding the taste of the sauce. It has a clean, fresh taste; lower-grade tomato products are usually bitter and acidic, which is why many recipes call for a pinch of sugar.
• Use only fresh garden herbs when possible; local local markets sell parsley yearly. The cost is minimal. Buy it fresh. Dried parsley completely loses all flavor when dried.
• If you need dried thyme, pick a quality, trusted organic brand versus an off-brand for optimal flavor.
• When choosing dried pasta, take the time to look for a quality organic brand. If you can purchase fresh pasta, it is excellent to make fresh pasta, that’s even better.

Ingredients for Frank Sinatra’s Italian Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound Ground Pork
• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan freshly grated
• Three teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Four cloves garlic finely minced
• Two medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Extra-Virgin olive oil
• One Onion finely diced
• Four cloves garlic finely minced
• One-28- ounce- can of organic San Marzano Italian-style tomatoes
• One-28- ounce- can of organic tomato purée
• Three tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
• Two teaspoons  of fresh or dried thyme
• Kosher salt to own taste
• Fresh ground white pepper to own taste
• One pound Dried Pasta organic preferred
• Extra chopped parsley for serving
• Fresh basil optional
• Red pepper flakes for serving optional
• Grated Pecorino Romano optional

Tips for Cooking the Perfect Pasta

1. Fill the pasta pot appropriately: Use plenty of cold, fresh water so that once the pasta begins to expand and cook, there will be plenty of room for the noodles to develop and move freely while preparing.
2. Do not add oil to water: Adding oil most likely will cause the sauce not to adhere correctly or your pasta to become oily.
3. Always add salt to the water: Add salt to the water before adding pasta to add flavor and season the noodles for the best flavorful results.
4. Bring the water to a full boil before adding pasta to the water. Add the pasta slowly and immediately stir the pasta.
5. Follow the Package instructions: It is essential to follow instructions on the package for cooking times as they may vary by type or brand.
6. Save some of the water off the cooked pasta: Usually, one cup of water from the cooked pasta is sufficient.
7. Drain the pasta: Do not over-drain the pasta or let the pasta sit in a colander for more than a moment, as you will dry out your pasta.
8. Always have your sauce prepared before you cook your noodles. Pasta cooking should be the last step in making your dish. Keep your sauce warm in a large, wide saucepan, big enough to add your noodles. Add the pasta to the pot containing warm sauce immediately after they’ve drained.
9. Add the pasta to the sauce, not the sauce to the pasta: You will want to have the sauce prepared and warmed beforehand. Always have the sauce ready before adding the pasta. I recommend having a large, wide saucepan big enough to hold one pound of pasta and sauce. Add the pasta to the pan immediately after cooking. Stir to combine.
10. Add the Pasta Water: Add the pasta water to the pasta and sauce to help the sauce adhere to the noodles and flavor the pasta.
11. Serve immediately: For the best results, always serve your pasta immediately.

 

 

Frequently asked questions about Frank Sinatra’s Italian Tomato Sauce and Meatballs.

1. Why should I use organic ingredients in this recipe? It contains fewer pesticides. Chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture, and residues remain on and in our food. Organic food is usually fresher; it doesn’t contain chemical additives or preservatives, making it have a longer shelf life.
2. The recipe calls for fresh herbs for parsley and basil. Can I substitute dried herbs in the offseason? Dried basil may be used in place of the fresh. However, dried parsley is not recommended in the recipe. The flavor is incomparable.
3. Can I use jarred minced garlic in place of the fresh minced garlic? You can in a pinch; however, the flavor is not the same once it has been jarred and will alter the pasta sauce’s taste.
4. My sauce tastes bitter. What happened? Did you use a quality brand, organic tomato? If not, this is probably the culprit. Use only organic quality tomatoes. And they are stamped with the DOP logo. The best Tomatoes can be marked with the DOP logo, an Italian abbreviation for Protected Designation of Origin. They are certified grown in Naples and Salerno, known as Agro Sarnese-Nocerino.
5. Why does the recipe call for Organic free-range meat? Animals raised organically are fed quality organic feed, which has more nutrients than the factory farms. Confined animals are exposed to bacteria and viruses.
6. The Frank Sinatra recipe calls for black pepper, yet you list white pepper as an ingredient. Why? White pepper is milder in flavor than black pepper. You can undoubtedly substitute black and white pepper, as the original recipe calls for.
7. I prefer a more flavorful sauce with a ton of herbs. Why doesn’t this recipe by Frank Sinatra have more herbs? Most of the time, Italian seasonings are very simple and to the point. We in America are the ones who seem to overpower our sauces with too many herbs. The sauce is about the main ingredient, which is quality tomatoes. That is why using only the best organic ingredients is so important. This is a red sauce, not an herb sauce.

 

 

If you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few other recipes you might like

• Top Go-to Pasta and Sauce Recipes Whether you’re a classic or traditional recipe enthusiast, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Seafood lover, or a pasta connoisseur, we have something delicious for you to try, as well as Tips, tricks, and How-tos for making your pasta and Sauce.
• Audrey Hepburn’s Spaghetti al Pomodoro is simple to make yet a classic Italian pasta sauce that combines only the best organic ingredients with organic pasta. The flavor is outstanding and gets rave reviews every time I make a batch.
• Al Capone’s Walnut Sauce is a deliciously flavorful, straightforward meatless-style recipe made with cold-pressed organic olive oil,  fresh garlic, walnuts, fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper and tossed with al dente spaghetti noodles.

 

 

 

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© Heidy L. McCallum and The McCallum’s Shamrock Patch, 2024-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of content/ material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Heidy L. McCallum and The McCallum’s Shamrock Patch with proper and specific direction to the original content.

 

 

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